Ekta R. Garg's Blog, page 92

Surprise: It’s me!

Hello, Write Edge readers! As promised, here’s my surprise: It’s an interview with yours truly! Earlier this week I got the opportunity to talk to Hank Garner, a wonderful supporter of writers and writing. He asked me some fun questions about this amazing craft, and I got to share some thoughts on it. Click here to hear the interview, and subscribe to Hank’s podcast!

To kick off our regular block of content, I’m sharing a new short story with you that’s partially inspired by a true one. Recently I completed an editing project for a gentleman who has been diagnosed with dementia. As I worked on the first memoir he sent me and am mulling over the second one now on my desk, I often think of what his experience must have been like in writing. Based on that, I wrote this week’s piece. Here’s an excerpt:

The days began to race by, but time and again he could have sworn he had already lived through a particular day. Could have sworn he’d already been to the doctor, had already eaten his dinner (but why was his stomach growling then?), had planted the rosebush (someone must have stolen it, that was the only explanation for the hole in the ground.)

Read the whole story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

I have a new book review for you. This week I share my thoughts on the middle grade novel Captain Superlative by debut novelist J.S. Puller. Here’s the opening to my post:

A seventh grade girl who wants nothing more than to remain unseen gets pulled into the spotlight by a classmate with a secret identity. As the girl begins to face her anxiety, she learns that bravery doesn’t mean an absence of fears: it means moving ahead despite them. Debut author J.S. Puller gives middle grade readers an endearing story in the funny, touching novel Captain Superlative.

Read the full review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Last, but certainly not least, my adventures in parenting continue! This week I’ve got new Spurts for you. Check out this quick look:

I suppressed a smile of my own. It’s a line straight out of my own mouth, on those mornings when the girls wouldn’t move fast enough because they would dilly-dally before school. They’ve gotten much better about it, so the frequency of the “talks” has decreased dramatically. Sometimes, though, they still happen.

Find all the Spurts now on Growth Chart!

Surprise coming this week!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I wanted to post my content today, but when I got word of a surprise I’ll get to share with you on Wednesday I thought it best to wait until then. So hang in there for a couple of more days. You’ll get the regular Write Edge content plus a fun surprise all at the same time. :>

Talk to you Wednesday!

E.R.G.

Happy month of May!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I hope you had a lovely week last week. Spring has finally descended on Central Illinois. Flowers are blooming, young trees are sprouting buds, and the air feels fresh. It’s certainly a beautiful season.

It’s the first Monday of the month, and I’m reinstating the monthly writers showcase on this day (as opposed to the end of the month.) Today there are some real winners, including one about a pair of galoshes and another about a hot air balloon. If I had to pick a favorite of the stories I’m sharing today, it has to be “Room Tone.” It’s exactly the kind of writing I strive to do: captivating and memorable. Find all the stories now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

I’ve posted my latest book review for you. This week I read the children’s novel Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead about a young girl and a special friend. Here’s the opening to my review:

A young girl visits her grandmother and discovers that she left behind a secret friend on her previous visit. The problem? The girl doesn’t remember anything about the friend or the promise she made to him. Authors Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead offer young readers a book with real-world problems and a fanciful ending in the somewhat delightful but ultimately confusing book Bob.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Finally, a brand new Growth Chart today! I’m sharing what happened when one of the girls revisited a powerful emotional trigger. Check out this excerpt:

I also had to sigh with relief. We made it through the film without any tears from Nine this time. She didn’t have to swear it off anymore. We’d finally brought another family-friendly movie back into our lives.

Read the full post now on Growth Chart!

See you back here next week, readers!

E.R.G.

Spring, just in time for summer :>

Hello, Write Edge readers! We’ve finally entered spring here in Central Illinois and not a moment too soon. I thought we wouldn’t get there until summer break. :>

I’m starting to like posting everything on a Monday. It’s a wonderful way to start the week, and it gives me a full seven days to prepare everything for all of you. Eventually I’d like to go back to having posts ready first thing in the day as before, but I’m working my way back to that.

In the meantime, I’m sharing links with you for this week’s content. First, this week’s new fiction. It turned out incredibly short, so I’ll just share a quick snippet.

Crisis averted.

For today.

Read the whole story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

Science fiction author Sylvain Neuvel brings his trilogy The Themis Files to a close with the release tomorrow of Only Human. Does the third book do justice to the series? Here’s the opening to my review:

After spending almost a decade on another planet, two scientists and a teenager come back to Earth only to find that the problems they thought they helped solve have gotten worse. Now they must fight time, opposing forces, and even one another to prevent another world war. Author Sylvain Neuvel brings his trilogy, The Themis Files, to an elegant, albeit bittersweet, end in the third book Only Human.

Read the whole thing now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Finally, I’ve posted some brand new parenting adventures for you. Here’s a peek at this week’s Spurts:

Eleven was intrigued by the premise—two sisters spend their lives competing over everything, including a husband—but Nine started complaining the minute we chose the movie.

“I think you’ll really like this one,” I whispered in her ear.

Her face folded into doubt. “Why?”

Read all of them now on Growth Chart!

Have a lovely week, readers!

E.R.G.

 

Trying it on a Monday…

Hello, Write Edge readers! After some thought and experimentation, posting all of my content at once is working well but waiting until later in the week to do so isn’t. I’ve decided to try posting everything on Mondays. Let’s see how this works out. :>

First is my latest short story for you. I found a prompt involving a children’s nursery rhyme, and even though I didn’t follow the prompt’s instructions exactly I still had a lot of fun with it. Here’s an excerpt:

Weeks went by without anyone spotting her. Then, just when they were all convinced she’d finally kicked the bucket, her little black car would roll out of her garage. No one knew who drove her around or if she drove herself; the tinted windows of the car, elongated like a hearse, wouldn’t allow a peek.

Read the whole story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

Next is my book review for this week. Even though The Lying Game by Ruth Ware released last year, I didn’t get a chance to read it until the last couple of weeks. Here’s the opening to my review:

Four friends bound by a secret reunite after more than 15 years at the location where they experienced the worst night of their lives. One of them has received threats, and she’s reached out to the others to help her through a situation they thought they’d resolved years earlier. Author Ruth Ware will leave readers underwhelmed and rolling their eyes at her third novel The Lying Game.

Get the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Last, but certainly not least, my latest parenting adventures. Find out what happened when a trip to go dress shopping backed me into a corner. Here’s a snippet:

As we closed on that third hour of fruitless shopping, I looked at the time. It was almost 5 p.m., and I told Eleven we’d have to quit for the day. Her frustration had mounted throughout the afternoon until she was spouting most of her end of the conversation in sarcastic digs at the clothes and herself. We’d entered the zone of, “Nothing looks right on me, and this is pointless.”

Read the whole adventure now on Growth Chart!

Have a great week, readers!

E.R.G.

This week’s content up!

Hello, Write Edge readers! The writing, editing, and wedding planning continue. In other words, I’m juggling several things and enjoying every single one. I haven’t forgotten about all of you, however, and I’ve posted this week’s content.

First, this week’s short story. I really had fun with this week’s writing prompt. I think it has a lot of potential for several different directions. Here’s an excerpt of the one I chose for the Workshop:

“How was your day?” he asked, finally stepping back. Before I could answer, he leaned in and kissed me. He pulled back, then grinned and kissed me again.

Ugh. Two kisses today. I didn’t know how much of this I could take.

Read the whole story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

I read a book unlike anything I normally read. Israeli author Yoav Blum debuts in the U.S. with his new novel The Coincidence Makers. Here’s the opening to my review:

A man who spends his career orchestrating events for others receives the most challenging task of his life when he’s forced to make an ethical choice. Complicating matters is a colleague who has fallen in love with him when she knows he’s still pining after someone else. Israel author Yoav Blum makes his U.S. debut with the mind-bending novel The Coincidence Makers.

Finally, I’ve posted this week’s Growth Spurts. Here’s an excerpt:

All three of us laughed hard, Nine the hardest. From that day it’s been official: younger sisters are Yo-Yos.

Check out all the Spurts now on Growth Chart!

Have a great week, readers!

E.R.G.

This week’s posts now up!

Good morning, Write Edge readers! So it’s a different formula this week — I posted my content yesterday but didn’t get a chance to tell all of you readers here. [Sighs a little] Still working out the kinks in this new schedule and still trying to decide how I like it. On the plus side, I’m pursuing some interesting writing and am working on some cool editing projects too. Or both, in the case of Heart of a Child by Authors’ Tale. Definitely check it out; there’s something for everyone in the book!

As I said, I posted my regular content for this week. Since yesterday was the first Thursday of the month, I took a break from my own weekly fiction and put together a new writers showcase. The piece I share this week offer all sorts of opportunities for introspection as well as laughter. Check out the April writers showcase now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

I also shared my latest book review yesterday. This week I offer my thoughts on the upcoming release After Anna by thriller writer Lisa Scottoline. Here’s the opening to my review:

A woman reunites with the infant daughter she gave up years earlier only to go through the pain of losing her in a murder. Worse, her husband is accused of the crime, and she must decide who to believe and who to condemn. Author Lisa Scottoline rushes through the essential points of a thriller and spends too much time on salacious details in her latest book After Anna.

Find the review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Lastly, the blog may take a week off, but parenting never does. I shared my newest adventure in being a mom yesterday. Check out the following excerpt:

It’s a horrible answer, I know. It doesn’t really explain anything, and it offers absolutely no comfort. I used up all the platitudes in my arsenal last year … and I’m completely out.

Read the whole post on Growth Chart!

A vacation, a wedding, and a book release!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I know, I’m a day late. The kids are on spring break this week (more on that below,) which takes away some of my time to write. Also, some dear friends are planning a family wedding, and I volunteered to help. That took out another afternoon.

Plus (and most exciting of all) the Facebook writers group Authors’ Tale is having a book launch tomorrow! We’re holding the event from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., EDT. Click here for the awesome launch party for Authors’ Tale!

I’m going to be chatting with people from 12:30 to 1:00 EDT, some come over and hang out with us! The name of the book is Heart Of A Child, and it’s an anthology of short stories. There are 25 stories in the book, including mine called “The Dress”.

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The stories range from serious to heart-wrenching to silly and sweet pieces. If you like to read at all, come hang out with the other authors and me and buy the book!

And now on to our regular content. First, this week’s short story. I read the prompt and thought I’d like to describe a common medical condition without naming it. Even the protagonist doesn’t know he’s suffering from it. Here’s an excerpt:

The eerie light that gave him enough vision to see his hands started freaking him out. And Ken never freaked out about stuff. That kinda thing was for pansies and losers. Ken wasn’t either.

Read the whole story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

This week, neuroscientist and best-selling author Lisa Genova has a new book release. In Every Note Played she tackles ALS and what happens when a concert pianist gets the disease. Here’s the opening to my post.

A world-renowned musician receives a devastating medical diagnosis. As his condition deteriorates his estranged ex-wife becomes his caretaker, and the two of them reflect on their relationship as everything comes to an end. Author Lisa Genova brings all her scientific knowledge to illuminate yet another mystifying disease in the informative yet unsatisfying novel Every Note Played.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Last, I have some fun spring break parenting adventures to share with all of you. It’s spring break Spurts! Here’s a snippet:

The next morning, she came down for school and looked at me over her cereal.

“Okay, let’s start brainstorming!”

For a minute I had no idea what she meant. When she explained, I worked hard at not rolling my eyes.

Read all the Spurts now on Growth Chart!

Have a fantastic week, readers!

E.R.G.

 

A little late but finally up :>

Hello, Write Edge readers! I know, I’m a day late in posting content on this newly revised schedule. I’ve been in the thick of writing new stories to submit them to writing contests, and I had a deadline to submit to one last night before midnight. With so many other things going on in my non-writing life, I had to make a choice and made the incredibly difficult decision to meet the contest deadline and post this today.

Some of you who subscribe to The Write Edge and one of its extension blogs may have seen the content up but not gotten the notification from here that I’d posted this week’s material. No worries! I’m here now. :>

First, I’m sharing my latest creative writing with you. It’s not often I write poetry, and I don’t think I’m particularly good at it, but occasionally I run across a writing prompt that induces poetry even from me. :> Here’s a stanza from today’s poem:

Be careful.

It brings forth

Monsters,

Angels,

Murderers,

Healers,

Infidels,

Rebels,

The bad;

The good.

Read the whole poem now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

I’ve posted a new book review for you. Today I share my thoughts on The Broken Girls by Simone St. James. Here’s the opening to my review of the mystery:

When an abandoned boarding school gets bought by a mysterious benefactor, a journalist decides to do a story on the transaction. She has a personal attachment to the school, and when a body is discovered on the grounds her article almost becomes a crusade. Author Simone St. James strings together a series of unrelated events and forces them into the well-written but failed novel The Broken Girls.

Read the full review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Lastly, I’m sharing my newest parenting adventures with you. This past Wednesday, one month to the day after the terrible tragedy in Parkland, Florida, students across the country staged peaceful protests to demand that our government make concrete choices to prevent this kind of attack. As one of my kids prepared to protest, it made me think of another tragedy. Here’s a quick excerpt:

Unfortunately, as so many have pointed out, news of school shootings has become common enough that people’s eyes no longer retain the spark of indignance for too long. They get indignant, they get upset, they march, they raise their voices…and then they go back to their normal lives. Until it happens again.

I see the dullness of resignation in people’s faces when we talk about school shootings now.

Read the whole Chart now on Growth Chart!

Thanks, as always, readers!

E.R.G.

Waiting on the weather

Hello, Write Edge readers! For those of you who live in the path of extreme weather (any readers in New England who still have power?) you understand just how seriously people take it when they talk about the weather changing from season. We’re waiting for the same around here, and although we certainly don’t have the challenges that our friends in the northeast do right now we still find ourselves shrugging on jackets for the millionth time a week with a measure of weariness.

However, this, too, shall pass. And in the meantime, it’s another week here on The Write Edge! As I’ve done since the start of the “new year” for the blog, I’ve posted all of the content I make available to you week after week. If anyone out there has any strong feelings one way or the other about moving to a weekly schedule as opposed to getting posts almost every day, let me know.

First, this week’s short fiction. I wasn’t necessarily thinking in this direction when I picked this prompt, but this is where it landed. Here’s an excerpt of the story:

With his arms he began herding everyone in the general direction of the elevators. Miraculously we hadn’t lost power, and everyone had their own rooms. We just had to wait out the aftermath of the storm.

Check out the full story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

I also have a new book review to share. I got the opportunity to read a book about a character who works for the CIA, a smart woman who gets caught in a difficult situation. Here’s the opening to my review of Need to Know by Karen Cleveland:

A CIA analyst discovers a horrible secret about her husband and must decide between her job and her marriage. As she grapples with her loyalty to her country and her loyalty to her relationship, she discovers that her devotion to both aren’t as airtight as she thought. Author Karen Cleveland, a former CIA analyst herself, gives readers a stereotypical plot and a helpless protagonist in her novel Need to Know.

Find the full review on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Last, I’ve posted my latest parenting adventures for you. This week’s Spurts come all from the same afternoon. Let’s call them Monday Musings, shall we? :> Here’s an excerpt:

I’m not sure whether I should tell them quite yet that the scheduling doesn’t get any easier either when they become adults. In fact, often it becomes even more of a puzzle to solve, something to crack and put together with the ultimate satisfaction of accomplishing important things every day.

Read the whole post now on Growth Chart!

If you’re in the northeast, please do what you can to get to safety and stay warm. For everyone else, thanks for reading. Happy Women’s Day, by the way. :>

Have a great week, readers!

E.R.G.